Tractor potato digger



1 631,2 4 June 7 1927 G. yTHORTVEDT 3 TRACTORIPOTATO DIGGER Filed Sept. 25, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Enndmin T' ThnrvEElT @Hoz H114 y 1,631,234 `une 7, 1927. G. THORTVEDT TRACTOR POTATO BIGGER Filed Sept. 23. 1925 l2 Sheets-Sheet 2 (ju muro@ um W Patented June 7, 1927.

THOBTVED'IL. 0F GLYNDON, MINNESOTA.

TBAGTOB POTATO BIGGER.

application mea september as, 1925. semilo.- sabes. 1s

Figure 3 illustrates my tractor potato dige My invention relates to a tractor potato digger detachably connected4 to a tractor so that the digger is attached close to the trae-- tor with the digging shoe in close proximity to the tractor drlve wheels.

A feature of my invention is in a digger which is detachably secured to a permanent frame adapted to be carried by a tractor and which constitutes a portion of the supporting means for holding tractor fenders for the driving wheels. My digger isformed with channel members extending alongthe top of the digger andis provided with means so that these channel members can slide within the channel members of the tor and then by means o suitab e connecting and adjusting openings the channel 'members are secured together in a manner so as to rigidly attach the potato digger frame to the rigidly attached frame carried by th tractor.

It is also an object of my invention to provide a detachable tractor unit which is adapted to be driven by means of a belt from the drive pulley on the tractor and in this lmanner drive the potato Y digger unit with its operating means forming a Source .l of power which operates from the tractor independent of the driving wheels of the tractor. This is an important feature of my invention as it permits the digger to be operated in a manner so that its operating unit can operate independent of the driving wheels of the tractor which permits the earth and the potatoes to be carried) up rapidly or more slowly irrespective to the S d of the driving wheels of the tractor. ease far as I know, ordinarily, the tractor potato diggers now in use are operated from the drive wheels of thev potato digger and thus when the wheels stop operating or slow down, the digger also slows down. This is not true of my potato digger' unit and I thereby accomplish a result which is very desirable. v

These features and other objects, together with the peculiar formation and particular design of my detachable potato digger tractor unit will be more clearly and fully set" forth in the specification and claims.

In the drawings forming a part' of this specification Figure 1 is a side view of my tractor po-. tato digger unit connected to a tractor.

Figure 2 is a plan view of the same.

ger unit detached from the tractor.

Figure 4 illustrates the rear portion of the tractor when the digger unit has been separated therefrom. e

In the drawings my tractorger unit-A is of a practical simp e construction having side channel members 10 which form the frame and u per portion of the unit A and extend on eit er side of the same.-

These channel members 10 carry the tato digger elevator 11 which is providd with a digging shoe 12 on the forward end of the same and is adjustably positioned by the operating 'lever 13. The elevator I11 1s pivotally connected at 14 to the supporting arms 15 so that the operating llever 13 ycan raise and lower the front end and shoe 12 of the digging unit A.

My digging unit A is provided with a rear belt carrier 16 which colacts with the front belt 17 of the elevator 1l in a manner so that the belt 17 discharges on the belt'16.

IThis permits the front elevator band 17 to pulley 18 which is mounted on the shaft'19 and adapted to freely rotate on the shaft. Bymeans of the clutch 2 0 which is keyed to the shaft 19 and which is opera-ted in the ordinaryl well known manner, the shaft 19 is rotated when the clutch is in operating sition with the ulley 18, and the elevator 'lt 17 is operated) by means of a side chain 21 which is connected on the outer -end of the shaft 19 at one side of the unit A. This chain 21 connects with the shaft 22 which operates the elevating belt-17.

v My means of the chain 24 which is mounted- `011 the-op osite side to the chain 21, I drive the shaft 25 from the shaft 19 to op erate the belt 16 on the rear portion of the unit A. l v

My unit A is` ada tedto engage with the permanently fixed ame B on' the tractor C by slidin the members 10 into engagement with t e channel members 26 on the frame B, and by means of the bolt openings 27 on the frame members 10, and the openings 28 on the frame members 26, I bolt the channel members 10 and 26 rigidly together with the di ging shoe 12 extending between the drive w eels 29 of the tractor C and in otato digclose proximity to the same so that the digging by the unit A is brought into close relation to the power propelling means of the tractor C. This is an important feat-ure in a detachable tractor unit and permits the digging to be operated successfully.

When the unit A is rigidly attached, as

y illustrated in Figure 1, to the tractor C, the

frame B which is provided with the wheel fenders 30 carries the unit A supported rigidly to the tractor C. This provides a construction wherein the tractor unit becomes practically a part of the tractor While in operation, yet permits the same to be readily disengaged from the tractor when it is desired.

The tractor C is provided with a drive pulley 31 which is operated independently of the drive wheels 29 by suitable operating means of ordinary well known construction in tractors to provide a drive pulley for taking off power from the tractor, or when the tractor is in operation, that is, in traction over the road or when it is stationary. The drive pulley connects by the belt 32 with the pulley 18 on the tractor potato digger unit A in a manner so that the belts .16 and 17 of the unit A can be operated even when the drive wheels 29 are stopped. This provides a tractor potato dig er unit which permits the digger unit to e clear in heavy digging and also permits the unit to be operated faster than the drive wheels are operated if it is desired. In this manner the potato digger unit is more successfully and practically operated with the tractor C. 'It is to be noted that this independent connection of the potato'digger unit A from a separate source of operation on the tractor C, than the operation of the tractor wheels 29, provides a digger unit of a more satisfactorily operated means than where the drive wheels 29 of the tractor operate the operating portions of the digger unit. I have found this to be true in the tractor digger units which I have made up and operates so that very satisfactory results have been accomplished. The belt 32 trav# els over the idle pulley 33 to carry the belt over the axle 34 of the tractor C and after passing over the idle pulley is crossed in a manner so as to engage the pulley 18- and drive the same in the proper direction.

My tractor potato digger unit is of a very simple, effective nature, being easily and quickly attached or disengaged from the tractor C and when it is attached thereto the channel frame members 10 and 26 form a continuous, rigid frame extending from the tractor C backA to the end of the potato digger A and thereby forming rigid, firm supporting means for holding the potato digger parts in operation. As the tractor is operated through the potato field the digger can be set into operation by the clutch 32 without affecting the tractor operation in traction over the road. The belt permits slipping if the digging becomes too heavy which is readily apparent to the operator and the speed of the tractor can be slackened until the digger unit has cleared itself of the heavy load. Thus if the digging becomes too heavy which is readily apparent to the operator, the speed of the tractor can be slackened by shifting the gears to low speed and letting the tractor run at this speed until the digger unit has cleared itself of the hea load. Such a construction for a otato digging tractor unit is of great uti ity as the potatoes may be more heavily supported in one place than another and where there is a heavy load of potatoes, it is apparent that in the operation of the tractor, the same can be slowed down while the unit A clears itself of potatoes, or the tractor stopped if it is necessary while the digger unit A clears itself of its heavy load.

In accordancewith the patent statutes I have'described the principles of operation of my tractor potato digger unit, and while I have illustrated@ particular formation and construction in the drawings, I desire to have it understood that these drawings are only illustrative of a means of carrying out my invention and that it may be applied` to uses other than those above set forth within the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. A tractor potato digger unit having, a frame which is adapted to be detachably connected to a rigid frame fixed on a tractor, a. digging shoe, an elevating conveyer associated with said shoe, a channel frame adapted to support said elevating conveyer and shoe, a drive pulley, means for connecting said drive pulley with said conveyer and a belt for connecting said drive pulley with the power pulley on a tractor to which said unit is attached.

2. A potato digger including, a tractor, a frame rio'idl fixed to said tractor, said frame inciludlng a pair of channel members on either side thereof, a .digger unit detachably connectable to said fixed frame, said unit including a pair of channel shaped frame members adapted to lit within the channel member of said fixed frame and to be rigidly attached thereto to support said unit rigidly to said tractor, extendlng from the rear end of said tractor and uelevated in a manner to clear the ground in back of.

said tractor and means for operating said digger unitdirect from the power means of adapted to fit within the fixed frame on the tractor. said digger in a manner to rigidly attach 10 3. A tractor potato ldi ger including, a the potato dig er unit ad'acent and in close tractor havin a pair o drive wheels', a proximity to t e said drive wheels of said frame -xed a jacent said wheels, said frame tractor and a belt for connecting said unit including a pair of channel. shaped side with the power take-off pulley on said tracmembers, a detachable di ger unit having tor. a pair of channel shape frame members GOODWIN THORTVEDT. 

